This invention relates to business forms in general, and to reusable return mailer constructions in particular.
While return mailer business forms constructions are themselves well known, the present invention provides an improved construction which eliminates the need of an outer fly sheet normally retained as a file copy and, at the same time, provides a unique, easy-to-use construction where the outgoing envelope portion of the mailer is also employed as the return envelope.
In typical return mailer constructions, a fly sheet is paper-locked along the marginal tractor feed edges as the outermost form part. This fly sheet carries a carbon backing or carbon spot in an address area aligned with the address area on the outgoing envelope cover sheet. At the same time, the outgoing envelope cover sheet may be carbon backed so that address information printed on the fly sheet will transfer not only to the outer surface of the outgoing mailer but also to the mailer insert directly beneath, or under, the cover sheet. Other information printed on the fly sheet will not appear on the outgoing envelope but will appear on the insert. Prior to mailing, the fly sheet is removed and retained as a file copy.
In one exemplary embodiment of this invention, a three-part mailer is provided which includes a first outer form part, an intermediate form part, and a second outer form part. As will be explained in greater detail below, the first and second outer form parts comprise the outgoing envelope and the intermediate form part comprises an insert provided with address, account and other printed information which may be utilized as a customer receipt, a remittance slip, or combination of the two. It will be appreciated that additional insert sheets may be included if desired.
The first and second outer form part include removable marginal edge portions as well as designated grasp and pull areas to facilitate opening of the mailer. In addition, the first outer form part is provided with a die cut window and a transparent patch covering the window for permitting visual access to address information provided on the intermediate form part or insert.
The first outer form part is also provided with a perforation line which extends between upper and lower edges of the form part and which extends through the die cut window and transparent patch.
The intermediate form part also incorporates separable marginal edge portions, but opposed upper and lower edges are formed by a conventional die cut technique which renders successive intermediate form parts within a continuous web discontinuous. This intermediate form part also contains in addition to the address information, a spot or other suitable indicia in a corner portion thereof which is designed to be aligned with a punch hole provided in the first form part. During the manufacture of the form, when the spot or other indicia is in vertical alignment with the punch hole, printing of the address information which will underly the die cut window in the first outer form part, as well as other information on the intermediate part, may be commenced.
The second outer form part is provided with a C-shaped glue pattern which in cooperation with the first outer form part, forms a pocket for both the outgoing and return envelopes. The second outer form part is also provided with a longitudinally extending fold line defining a fold-over flap for the return envelope. This flap is provided with a strip of rewettable adhesive to facilitate sealing of the return envelope.
When assembled, the form parts will be adhered by means of the glue strips provided immediately inside the separable marginal edge portions of the intermediate and first and second outer form parts, as well as by the additional glue strips provided on the second outer form part which adhere directly to the first outer form part.
The present invention also takes advantage of carbonless transfer techniques which are by now well known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,712,507; 3,016,308; and 4,199,174. In a typical carbonless arrangement, a top sheet will have its underside or back coated with an encapsulated solution of rupturable microcapsules containing a color precursor in fluid form (referred to as a CB coating) which reacts with a resin coating on the front of the underlying sheet (referred to as a CF coating).
In a preferred arrangement in accordance with this invention, the underside of the first outer form part will be provided with a conventional CB coating while the adjacent or upper surface of the intermediate form part will be provided with a CF coating, to thereby enable impact printing of variable information on the intermediate form part or insert through the first outer form part without that information also appearing on the outer form part.
In the designated address area of the intermediate form part, the CF coating may be overlaid with a CB coating to thereby provide a self-contained carbonless area, enabling impact printing of the variable address information onto the intermediate form part, through the transparent patch.
A similar self-contained spot is also preferably employed on the intermediate form part, underlying the previously described punch hole.
It will be appreciated, of course, that one or more additional windows could be provided in the outgoing mailer, with self-contained areas on the intermediate form part underlying the one or more additional windows, for the display of account numbers or other information.
Since the information printed on the form is typically accomplished by means of a printer connected to a computer, and since the use of a carbonless transfer system eliminates the need for protecting the outgoing envelope during impact printing, the previously employed fly sheet (file copy) can be eliminated.
After a recipient receives the mailer construction, it may be opened by pulling on the designated grasp and pull areas on the first outer form part. This results in a splitting or separation of the first outer form part along the longitudinally extending perforation line which extends through the die cut window and transparent patch. The intermediate and second outer form parts will separate along longitudinally extending perforation lines which lie inside the perforation lines defining the removable marginal edge portions.
Upon opening, the recipient will remove the intermediate form part and, after insertion of, for example, a remittance (with or without a remittance slip portion separated from the intermediate form part (or insert), the return envelope may be sealed by folding the second outer form part about the longitudinally extending fold line over the now abbreviated first outer form part to thereby provide the return envelope. In so doing, preprinted return address information provided on the original outgoing envelope now becomes the addressee information for the return envelope.
Thus, in accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, there is provided a return mailer construction comprising a first outer part; an intermediate part; and a second outer part; the first form part having a pair of side edges, an upper edge and a lower edge, and an address window formed therein; a first perforation line extending between the upper and lower edges across the window to define a first separable portion of the first outer part, removable upon opening of the mailer construction.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a return mailer construction comprising first outer part, at least one intermediate part and a second outer part, wherein the first and second outer parts are used as both outgoing and return envelopes, the first outer part having a CB coating on at least a portion of an interior surface thereof, and said at least one intermediate form part having a CF coating on at least a portion of a front face thereof; the first outer form part having an address window formed therein, a major portion of the window being separable from said first outer part upon opening of the mailer; the second outer part having a return envelope flap portion formed therein and foldable over at least a remaining portion of the address window in the first outer part.
The present invention also relates to a method of producing a return mailer having a first outer part, at least one intermediate part and second outer part, wherein the first form part is formed with an address window covered by a transparent patch for permitting visual access to an address printed on the intermediate part comprising;
a) providing an alignment mark on the intermediate sheet; PA1 b) providing an alignment aperture on said first outer part; PA1 c) aligning said mark and said aperture and, when aligned, PA1 d) causing address information to be printed on said intermediate part through said transparent patch which will be visible through said window. PA1 a) feeding a first outer form part from a storage drum to a first process unit where a window is die-cut in the first form part and a transparent patch is applied over the window; PA1 b) feeding an intermediate form part from a second storage drum and passing the intermediate form part to a second processing unit where a self-contained carbonless spot is coated over a preprinted alignment mark in a corner of the intermediate form part as well as over the address area; PA1 c) feeding a second outer form part from a third storage drum and passing the second outer form part to a third process station where glue lines are applied to the second outer form part including a rewettable glue strip to a return envelope flap portion of the second outer form part; and PA1 d) joining the first outer form part, the intermediate form part and the second outer form part together downstream of the first, second and third processing station.
In another respect, the present invention provides a method of producing a return mailer comprising:
In addition to eliminating the need for a fly sheet, the present invention also provides a more professional looking form with greater confidentiality by reason of the window and transparent patch construction. The form also permits great flexibility by permitting an all carbonless transfer, or a combination of carbonless, carbonizing bond and/or tissue.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows.